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Ed Bellis' Top 100 Video Game Songs (2007)
Ed Bellis' Top 100 Songs List made in 2007. The Ranking! 100. Enter the Vertex Game: Conker’s Bad Fur Day Composer: Robin Beanland Link: http://media.putfile.com/Conkers-Bad-Fur-Day---Enter-the-Vertex A weird song to kick off the top 100, but this little tune really uses that normally obnoxious “wall of noise” style to great effect. It’s creepy and catchy at the same time! 99. Halo Game: Halo Composer: Michael O’Donnell and Martin Salvatori Link: http://media.putfile.com/Halo-Theme-79 Very epic feel to the game’s main theme here. A really good use of tribal sounds and cool violins give it a unique touch. One of the most iconic video game songs in recent memory for a reason. 98. Courage and Pride (Guardia Castle) Game: Chrono Trigger Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda Link: http://media.putfile.com/Chrono-Trigger---Courage-and-Pride An underrated gem from one of the most beloved soundtracks. The Guardia Castle theme has an epic, sweeping feel to it, and really gives a great sense of grandiosity. Dunno why this one isn’t more popular. 97. Stage H Game: Wordtris Composer: Paul Mogg Link: http://media.putfile.com/Wordtris---Stage-H I’m a sucker for songs with that sort of pseudo-Chinese feel to them, and this song definitely delivers on that end. It’s got a great, catchy melody… which I’m also a sucker for, so you’ll be seeing plenty of those! 96. Rusty Ruin Act 1 Game: Sonic 3D Blast Composer: Richard Jacques Link: http://media.putfile.com/Sonic-3D-Blast---Rusty-Ruin-Zone-Act-2 Err… dunno why I screwed up on the filename, but this is Act 1. Definitely a cool song here, very evocative and chill. Very calming. 95. Rage Awakened Game: Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ Composer: Yoko Shimomura Link: http://media.putfile.com/Rage-Awakened---KH2FM I get the impression this is a boss battle theme… and it’s a damn good one at that. Very sweeping, lots of high energy and tension without being overbearing. One of my favorite intense pieces. 94. Donkey Kong Rescued Game: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest Composer: Dave Wise Link: http://media.putfile.com/Donkey-Kong-Country-2---Donkey-Kong-Rescued God bless Dave Wise and his incredible soundtrack to this game. This is the credits theme, and it’s one of my favorites from the soundtrack – as cheesy as it sounds, you really feel like you did a great job with this song. That and the melody is great. 93. Theme of Zangief Game: Marvel Superheroes vs. Street Fighter Composer: Yuko Kadota, Yuki Iwai Link: http://media.putfile.com/Marvel-Superheroes-vs-Street-Fighter---Theme-of-Zangief Zangief is the man. A homosexual Russian who wrestles bears for a living and dances with Gorbachev? National icon if I ever saw one. Oh, and his theme song from this game is appropriately badass; you can picture him slowly walking towards you, waiting to Spinning Pile Drive the living hell out of you. Classic. 92. Feldschlacht IV Game: SaGa Frontier II - Composer: Masashi Hamauzu Link: http://media.putfile.com/SaGa-Frontier-II---Feldschlacht-IV Apparently that means “Field Battle IV” or something. Whatever. This song has a very “layered” feel to it – there’s a lot going on, but the melody is still strong enough to stand out. Very unique song. 91. Rave On Game: Killer7 Composer: Masafumi Takada Link: http://media.putfile.com/Killer-7---Rave-On At first I thought this was a generic techno song. Now… I dunno, it’s got a certain charm to it that I can’t quite place. Maybe it’s just another good melody. You tell me! 90. Boss Battle 2 Game: Chrono Trigger Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda Link: http://media.putfile.com/Chrono-Trigger---Boss-Battle-2 Another underrated gem from CT. I’m a sucker for a good boss theme and this one takes the cake – very intense. Again, dunno why this never got a lot of love in comparison with other CT tracks. 89. Mask of the Sun Game: Ys IV: Mask of the Sun Composer: K. Yoshiaki, H. Masanori, K. Miyoko, I. Naoyuki, E. Tomohiro, T. Hiroo (…yeah) Link: http://media.putfile.com/Ys4-MaskoftheSunSNES I tried to push this one for people to nominate for the video game music contest. Some good old-fashioned SNES guitar riffs and what sounds like synthesized chimes… it’s a good song. Ys music rules. 88. Sunset Heroes Game: God Hand Composer: Masafumi Takada Link: http://media.putfile.com/God-Hand---Sunset-Heroes Picture Rave On as a rock song instead of techno and you’ll get Sunset Heroes. Very cool feel to it – I can almost see this one working as a Guilty Gear song. Definitely a good song to get pumped up to. 87. Heavy Arms Game: Gundam Wing: Endless Duel Composer: Hiroyuki Iwatsuki, Haruo Ohashi Link: http://media.putfile.com/Gundam-Wing-Endless-Duel---Heavy-Arms Hurrah for more SNES guitar riffs! This song would also fit in well with the Guilty Gear-esque rock crowd. Very heart-pumping and intense. I would kill to hear the Black Mages do a rendition of this! 86. Warrior’s Whistle Game: Wild ARMs Composer: Michiko Naruke Link: http://media.putfile.com/Wild-Arms---Warriors-Whistle This is Boomerang Flash’s theme, but it’s not his battle theme that was featured in the video game music contest. It’s much more sinister, with lots of whistling used to great effect. 85. The Original Game: Guilty Gear X Composer: Daisuke Ishiwatari, Kazuhiko Tomizuka Link: httphttp://media.putfile.com/Guilty-Gear-X---The-Original Guilty Gear songs are always rock numbers, but this one’s got a ice jazzy feel to it on top of that. Very cool. 84. Ending Game: Super Mario World Composer: Koji Kondo Link: http://media.putfile.com/Super-Mario-World---Ending-82 Mario does ragtime! That’s what this song has always sounded like to me, especially the last part. An awesome jazzy ditty that plays at the conclusion to Super Mario World. 83. Running from Evil Game: Doom Composer: Robert Prince Link: http://media.putfile.com/Doom---Running-from-Evil I honestly don’t know if this is arranged music or not, because it seems unusually high quality for a game as old as Doom. Regardless, it’s a pretty kickass piece, very ominous and yet also catchy. 82. Din Don Dan Dan Fo Game: Ragnarok Online Composer: I don’t know, it’s in Japanese >_> Link: http://media.putfile.com/Ragnarok-Online---Din-Don-Dan-Dan-Fo No clue what the song title means or how to translate the blend of Japanese characters that make up the composer’s name, but regardless of these things this song is infectiously catchy and very memorable. Seems to be very good at setting the pace for an upcoming adventure. 81. Ice Cap Zone Act 1 Game: Sonic 3 & Knuckles Composer: All it says it SEGA grrrr Link: http://media.putfile.com/Sonic-3---Ice-Cap-Zone-Act-1 A classic from the Genesis era, Ice Cap Zone is in many respects the quintessential 2D Sonic song – it’s catchy, it’s well-produced, it’s memorable, and it fits the stage perfectly. No clue how this one got snubbed from the music contest. 80. Battle of the Holy Game: Castlevania Adventure Composer: Konami Kuheika Club Link: http://media.putfile.com/Castlevania-Adventure---Battle-of-the-Holy More retro goodness, this time from the first Game Boy Castlevania game. This song has great, creepy atmosphere, even with its “sound limitations.” 79. Flight of the Bamboo Cutter ~ Lunatic Princess Game: Imperishable Night Composer: ZUN http://media.putfile.com/Imperishable-Night---Flight-of-the-Lunatic-Princess What’s this? A Touhou song that’s not in the music contest?! Yeah, I heard this in a batch of Gamingforce Audio songs and I fell for it instantly. It’s got the parts I like about some Touhou songs (a great melody, a catchy beginning) without a lot of the bad (random torrents of noise). 78. Awe of She Game: Guilty Gear X Composer: Daisuke Ishiwatari http://media.putfile.com/Guilty-Gear-X-Awe-of-She A kickass rock song that starts off quietly and then just explodes into an awesome torrent of… awesome. If you like blistering video game guitar action, this is the place to go. 77. Schumacher Fly Game: Dynamite Headdy Composer: Nazo Suzuki http://media.putfile.com/Dynamite-Headdy-Schumacher-Fly Dynamite Headdy has a great soundtrack that I only recently discovered. This song has a terrific melody and is brimming with lots of energy, which makes it a very fun listen. 76. Vendetta Preps Game: Bully Composer: Shawn Lee http://media.putfile.com/Vendetta-Preps This song has been compared in the past to a Michael Jackson tune with a great guitar part that kicks in near the chorus. Well-produced and very smooth. 75. Silver Sands Game: Aka Composer: Noriyasu Agematsu, Ayana http://media.putfile.com/Aka-Silver-Sands Behold – a vocal song I actually like! A very pretty song that sounds like something out of an anime movie, with vocals that actually aren’t tinny and grating but are very smooth and blend with the music perfectly. 74. Man on a Mission Game: Armodyne Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda http://media.putfile.com/Armodyne-Man-on-a-Mission A badass little ditty that fits the title perfectly – this song definitely evokes the feeling of determination and getting a hard job done. Very cool. 73. Communication Breakdown Game: Xenosaga 2 Composer: not sure http://media.putfile.com/Communication-Breakdown-67-72 A very epic song with crazy vocals and lots of variety. Feels like something out of a movie, honestly. 72. Sky Chase Zone Game: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Composer: SEGA http://media.putfile.com/Sonic-2-Sky-Chase-Zone A gorgeous song that’s incredibly soothing and evocative of soaring through the clouds. Always manages to fill me with a bit of nostalgia as well, being from one of the games I’ve actually played. Beautiful. 71. Aqua Game: Sailing to the World Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda http://media.putfile.com/Sailing-to-the-World-Melody-of-Aqua Another beautiful song, another Mitsuda track (is there anything this guy can’t do?). As with Sky Chase, this one’s also evocative, this one evoking a vast, tranquil sea. One of the few songs I could see myself doing Yoga to. 70. Bombman Stage Game: Mega Man Composer: CAPCOM (grr) http://media.putfile.com/Mega-Man-Bombman-Stage An infectiously catchy tune from the Blue Bomber’s first appearance. I’m surprised this number isn’t more popular – it’s got all the makings of classic NES Mega Man goodness. 69. Theme from Battery Game: Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Composer: Amon Tobin http://media.putfile.com/Splinter-Cell-Chaos-Theory-Theme-from-Battery Reeeally creepy, atmospheric ambience here. Definitely gives off the vibe of being someplace foreign, some place you are most certainly not wanted. Really unique sound. 68. War Preparation Game: Muv-Luv Alternative Composer: Hiriji Anze http://media.putfile.com/Muv-Luv-Alternative---War-Preparation Another song that fits its title to a tee. This number really conveys the sense of getting ready for a giant confrontation that most involved aren’t sure if they’ll come back from. Very evocative. 67. The Big Game Game: Bully Composer: Shawn Lee http://media.putfile.com/Bully-The-Big-Game A very high-octane song that, again, perfectly encapsulates its title. Catchy, and yet it’s also something you could see on a more sophisticated version of Jock Jams (anyone remember Jock Jams?). 66. Lava Reef Zone Act 1 Game: Sonic 3 & Knuckles Composer: SEGA http://media.putfile.com/Sonic--Knuckles-Lava-Reef-Zone Wonderful little song here. This tune is kinda neat – it’s catchy, it’s otherworldly, it’s evocative… all in a little unassuming package. One of the best of the 2D Sonic era. 65. Magical Dreamers Game: Chrono Cross Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda http://media.putfile.com/Chrono-Cross---Magical-Dreamers Another song that’s many things at once – poignancy is mixed wonderfully here with an incredible guitar part. Mitsuda really does a great job blending modern sounds (like the guitar) with old Celtic sounds. A wonderful and powerful song. 64. Scene 7 Game: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Arcade Game Composer: dunno http://media.putfile.com/TMNT2-Scene-7 A pretty intense “last-stage” song from the days of the NES, Scene 7 is all about that foreboding feeling of how the end is nigh. I’ve always liked this one. 63. Hydrocity Zone Act 2 Game: Sonic 3 & Knuckles Composer: SEGA http://media.putfile.com/Sonic-3-Hydrocity-Zone-Act-2 Yet another Genesis goodie, this one from the second part of the game’s underwater stage. Hydrocity Act 2 is catchy, very memorable, and loads of fun. 62. World Revolution Game: Chrono Trigger Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda http://media.putfile.com/World-Revolution-46 This song is in many respects the king of final boss themes to me. It’s so crazy and overwhelming, yet it never lapses into random noise. Everything works so well to create this hopeless, intense sensation. 61. Astaroth ~ Battle with the Fallen Angel Game: Shadow Hearts: Covenant Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda http://media.putfile.com/Astaroth-56 From World Revolution’s chaotic nature to this, a very chill boss fight song. The occasional singing meshes with the music incredibly well, and despite the laid-back tempo the song nevertheless conveys a sense of urgency and foreboding. 60. The Synapse (Hong Kong Streets) Game: Deus Ex Composer: Ion Storm Austin http://media.putfile.com/Deus-Ex-The-Synapse I said before I was a sucker for Chinese-themed songs, and this one’s got a nice hip-hop vibe to it as well. 59. Bloody Tears Game: Super Castlevania 4 Composer: Masanori Adachi, Sotaro Tojima http://media.putfile.com/Super-Castlevania-4-Bloody-Tears The best version of this iconic song I’ve heard yet. Sinister, eerie, catchy… everything this song should be. 58. Tears Game: King of Fighters ‘99 Composer: New World Music Performance Group http://media.putfile.com/King-of-Fighters-99-Tears Awww yeah. Rockin’ synth guitars and a very beautiful melody make for a great combination here. This is the original version, which I like considerably more than the arranged version in the music contest. 57. Jenova Absolute Game: Final Fantasy 7 Composer: Nobuo Uematsu http://media.putfile.com/FF7-Jenova-Absolute Another excellent boss theme, this one with lots of different layered effects that really add to the intensity. Somewhat slow compared to World Revolution, but still damn effective. 56. Overture Game: Unlimited SaGa Composer: dunno http://media.putfile.com/Unlimited-SaGa-Overture Sweeping and majestic. I’m not normally big on these kinds of tunes, but for whatever reason this one just sticks with me. Maybe it’s the wonderful melody and how the second part of the song just kicks ass. 55. La Mer (Opening Movie) Game: Suikoden 4 Composer: dunno http://media.putfile.com/Suikoden-4-La-Mer Another great opening theme, very sweeping and with a nice vibe with a style I can’t quite place. 54. Electric Power Building Game: Breath of Fire 5 Composer: Hitoshi Sakimoto http://media.putfile.com/Breath-of-Fire-5-Electric-Power-Building This song kicks major ass. It’s slow-paced yet very intense, and I just love the way it builds gradually over time. An incredibly well-put together piece. 53. Crimson Wings Game: Ys 4: Mask of the Sun Composer: K. Yoshiaki, H. Masanori, K. Miyoko, I. Naoyuki, E. Tomohiro, T. Hiroo http://media.putfile.com/Ys-4-Crimson-Wings Another absolutely kickass piece, this one with more awesome SNES guitar riffs! You know you love them. A great song for rousing the troops and surging into battle. 52. My Home, Sweet Home Game: Final Fantasy 5 Composer: Nobuo Uematsu http://media.putfile.com/Final-Fantasy-5-My-Home-Sweet-Home An underrated gem from a great composer. My Home Sweet Home is an incredibly soothing and nostalgic song, one that perfectly brings to mind the feelings of home the title evokes. 51. Nightless City Guara Bobelo Game: Wild Arms 4 Composer: Masato Koda http://media.putfile.com/Nightless-City-Guara-Bobelo-12 A really unique song, Guara Bobelo is jazzy and fun and hip and… ehh, words suck. Just listen to it. =P 50. One Winged Angel Game: Final Fantasy 7 Composer: Nobuo Uematsu http://media.putfile.com/One-Winged-Angel-59 I’m probably gonna get a lot of flak for this, but I’ve always liked FF7’s final boss music. The way the song builds, the gothic chorus, the discordance… it’s all very well-structured and very intense. 49. Theme of Wolverine Game: Marvel Superheroes vs. Street Fighter Composer: Yuko Takehara and Masato Kouda http://media.putfile.com/MvC---Theme-of-Wolverine A very fast-paced song that reminds me of a well-done RPG battle or Touhou song. Very heart-pumping and kinda fun. 48. Time of the Dreamwatch Game: Chrono Cross Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda http://media.putfile.com/Time-of-the-Dreamwatch A gorgeous song that incorporates a lot of motifs from various other Chrono songs, including the Chrono Trigger main theme. Heart-stirring is kinda a corny a word, but it fits here. 47. Star Shape Game: Shadow Hearts Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda http://media.putfile.com/Star-Shape A rich and beautiful song that’s haunting, intense, and very well-produced. Shame this one had to leave the contest so early. 46. Hag 1 Game: Banjo-Tooie Composer: Grant Kirkhope http://media.putfile.com/Banjo-Tooie-Hag-1 I said I was a sucker for a great boss theme, and this one’s got goodness in spades – heavy brass, a slow methodical pace, and lots of variation. It starts off slow, but then builds fantastically. 45. Silent Hill Game: Silent Hill Composer: Akira Yamaoka http://media.putfile.com/Silent-Hill-Theme-87 I was surprised at the hate this got in its last match. The Silent Hill theme is great in its use of discordance and general creepiness. Definitely one of the most iconic video game themes I’ve heard. 44. Boomer Kuwanger Game: Mega Man X Composer: Setsuo, Tomozou, Sato, Yuko, Kirry http://media.putfile.com/Mega-Man-X-Boomer-Kuwanger Mega Man X had incredible music, and this song’s electronic riff at the beginning is one of the most memorable in Mega Man history. The whole song builds great and is incredibly well put together. 43. Blue Water, Blue Sky Game: Guilty Gear X Composer: Daisuke Ishiwatari http://media.putfile.com/Blue-Water-Blue-Sky-60 Guilty Gear is always quality. This song delivers in terms of being catchy and even a little inspirational, really calling lots of good, adventuring images to mind. 42. Dark World Game: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Composer: Koji Kondo http://media.putfile.com/Dark-World-80 The first Zelda song on the list! This one’s a classic of my childhood – in contrast with the iconic Overworld theme, the Dark World is foreboding, gloomy, yet still every bit as catchy; even moreso, I’d argue. 41. EXEC_LINCA./ Game: Ar Tonelico Composer: Setsuo, Tomozou, Sato, Yuko, Kirry http://media.putfile.com/EXEC-Linkage No clue what the title means here. >_> This song is a Xenogears-style epic piece with lots of nifty singing and some kickass instrumentals. Very epic and awesome all-around. 40. Taking over the Halberd Game: Kirby Super Star Composer: Jun Ishikawa, Dan Miyakawa http://media.putfile.com/Kirby-Super-Star-Taking-over-the-Halberd This intense, fast-paced tune plays in the Revenge of Meta Knight section of the game (which means it should be in Brawl!). A very hard-hitting song one wouldn’t necessarily expect from a cutesy Kirby game. 39. Bubbleman Stage Game: Mega Man 2 Composer: CAPCOM http://media.putfile.com/Bubble-Man Quite possibly the catchiest Mega Man tune ever composed – and that’s saying a lot. An absolutely fantastic melody here. 38. Theme of Adol 1993 Game: Ys Perfect Collection Vol. 3 Composer: Ryo Yonemitsu http://media.putfile.com/Ys-Perfect-Collection-Vol-3-Theme-of-Adol-1993 Okay, I’m cheating here – this is an arranged version of a Ys 4 song. But this version reaches a level of kickass only to be found in, oddly enough, the MIDI of the song. Just ignore my semi-hypocrisy and rock out to it. 37. Megalith -Agnus Dei- Game: Ace Combat 04 Composer: Namco Sound Team http://media.putfile.com/Ace-Combat-4-Megalith-Agnus-Dei Holy epic of epicness – this song pretty much takes the cake when it comes to that overwhelming feeling of climactic showdown. Latin chorus, intense instrumentation, a great fusion of sounds… there’s nothing quite like this one. 36. Chargeman Stage Game: Mega Man 5 Composer: CAPCOM http://media.putfile.com/Mega-Man-5-Chargeman-Stage Can it be… a Mega Man song even catchier than Bubble Man? Yes, it is. Charge Man’s theme is an underrated gem from the equally underrated Mega Man 5 soundtrack – bubbly, fun, catchy, awesome. 35. Sunset Park Act 3 Game: Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble Composer: SEGA http://media.putfile.com/Sonic-Triple-Trouble-Sunset-Park-Act-3 This little Game Gear ditty is as catchy as an NES Mega Man tune, and that’s a huge accomplishment. Very memorable for those who’ve heard it. 34. Ocean Game: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker Composer: Koji Kondo http://media.putfile.com/Wind-Waker-Ocean This is the sole reason why I could sail for hours at a time in Wind Waker. This song is both epic and soothing at the same time, fitting perfectly with the feeling of sailing over the open sea. 33. BGM 02 Game: Jackie Chan’s Action Kung Fu Composer: …no freaking clue http://media.putfile.com/Jackie-Chan-BGM-02 Now this is obscure, at least in video game music terms – I’ve never been able to find a rip of this game, so you’ll have to make do with my crapass attempts at ripping the song. An NES gem that’s fast-paced and constantly interesting. 32. Schala’s Theme Game: Chrono Trigger Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda http://media.putfile.com/Schalas-Theme-13 I don’t care about Schala as a character, but this song makes me want to. A tragic tune, elegant and moving. 31. Storm Eagle Game: Mega Man X Composer: Setsuo, Tomozou, Sato, Yuko, Kirry http://media.putfile.com/Mega-Man-X-Storm-Eagle-16 More kickass SNES guitar riffs! I’ve got a soft spot for them. Storm Eagle’s theme is that rare old-school gem that translates incredibly well to a modern-day live guitar, but also works great as is. Rock on. 30. Windy Day Game: Metal Slug 5 Composer: Toshikazu Tanaka http://media.putfile.com/Windy-Day-39-21 It sounds like a shootout at the OK Corral with some modern arrangement. Anything with whistling used to maximum effect is an instant classic in my book. So glad this is still in the contest. 29. Me and My Little War Game: Elebits Composer: KONAMI http://media.putfile.com/Me-and-my-little-war A little gem that lost i the first round of the music contest. Very soothing, with a light flavor that’s kinda wistful. 28. Far into the Sky Game: Brave Fencer Musashi Composer: Tsuyoshi Sekito http://media.putfile.com/Brave-Fencer-Musashi-Far-into-the-Sky An inspirational ending piece that really stirs a bunch of emotions for me. 27. Tearing up Spacetime Game: Acid Tetris Composer: Acid Tetris Music Team http://media.putfile.com/Acid-Tetris-Tearing-Up-Spacetime An amazing techno song with lots of variation and interesting stuff. Great melody, great presentation, great song overall. Damn catchy. 26. The Final Showdown…? Game: Donkey Kong ‘94 Composer: Taisuke Araki http://media.putfile.com/DK94-The-Final-Showdown Epic Game Boy goodness here – quintessential final battle music, with a ton of amazing stuff inside. Listen and be amazed. 25. Zero Game: Ace Combat Zero Composer: Keiki Kobayashi http://media.putfile.com/Ace-Combat-Zero As WHOAMG EPIC as Megalith is, Zero takes a different approach, being more subdued and subtle, yet no less amazing and intense. The Spanish flamenco feel of the song only adds to its unique flavor. 24. Go Straight Game: Streets of Rage 2 Composer: Yuzo Koshiro http://media.putfile.com/Streets-of-Rage-2-Go-Straight Streets of Rage music is generally incredibly catchy, and this flagship song from the second game exemplifies everything I love about the series’ music. A nice retro hip-hop beat and some great tunes. 23. The Moon Game: Duck Tales Composer: Disney, Capcom http://media.putfile.com/DuckTales---The-Moon-36 Anyone who’s ever heard this song instantly recognizes it. I guarantee it. It’s that good. 8-bit glory at its finest. 22. Compression of Time Game: Final Fantasy 8 Composer: Nobuo Uematsu http://media.putfile.com/FF8-Compression-of-Time A slow, dirge-like song that really indicates uncertainty and confusion. Very nice, understated, and underappreciated. 21. The Sun Rises Game: Okami Composer: Rei Kondoh http://media.putfile.com/Okami-The-Sun-Rises This song is, simply put, majestic. A great fusion of Asian instruments and incredibly melodies… damn, this song rules. 20. Mining Melancholy Game: Donkey Kong Country 2 Composer: Dave Wise http://media.putfile.com/Mining-Melancholy The greatest crime of the 20th century might be that this song was not included on the official soundtrack release. One of the game’s best tracks, this song takes “mine stage” to a new extreme. 19. Battle Demon (Boomerang Flash Battle) Game: Wild ARMs Composer: Michiko Naruke http://media.putfile.com/Boomerang-Flash-Battle This is Boomerang Flash’s battle theme. Methodical and precise, this song really gives the impression of a skilled killer in the Old West. Damn awesome. 18. Puzzle Game: Wild ARMs Alter Code: F Composer: Michiko Naruke http://media.putfile.com/Puzzle-89 Bubbly and fun, this song was the runner-up to Gamingforce Audio’s 2007 Best Video Game song contest. (It lost to yet another Wild Arms song.) This song, like so many others on this list, just makes me happy. Awww yeah whistling! 17. Dream of the Shore Bordering Another World Game: Chrono Cross Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda http://media.putfile.com/Dreams-of-the-Shore-89 An utterly gorgeous and completely soothing ambient piece. Everybody knows this one, and most seem to rightfully love it for the masterpiece it is. 16. Time Circuits Game: Chrono Trigger Composer: Yasunori Mitsuda http://media.putfile.com/Time-Circuits Another utterly gorgeous Chrono song, this one from the first game. Time Circuits is that rare video game song non-vg music fans can enjoy; I’ve played this for several friends and they loved it, maybe because it’s got a nice ethnic vibe to it. 15. Title Game: Mega Man 3 Composer: CAPCOM http://media.putfile.com/Title-51 One of the greatest Mega Man songs ever created (the second greatest, in fact) and it only plays as long as you don’t press start. What a crime. Few things set the pace for awesomeness like a great title theme, and this one takes the cake. 14. Title Game: Solstice Composer: Tim Follin http://media.putfile.com/Solstice---Title-Theme-67 One of the most complex songs composed for the NES, the Solstice Title theme truly pushes the 8-bit hardware to the limit. Full of crazy musical passages and loads of variation, this song is quite the experience. 13. River of Souls Game: Turok 2: Seeds of Evil Composer: Acclaim Entertainment http://media.putfile.com/River-of-Souls Sinister, yet with an aura of hope – that’s how Blur described this piece, and I’d agree with him. River of Souls is damn creepy and intense, yet there’s an undercurrent of fighting adversity there. An incredible, understated song. 12. Dark Cloud Main Theme Game: Dark Cloud Composer: Tomohito Nishiura http://media.putfile.com/Dark-Cloud-Main-Theme-47 Put La Mer and the Unlimted SaGa Overture together and add a dose of Mitsuda and you get this phenomenal little overture of a song. Inspirational and somewhat Celtic, this feels like it could fit right in with the best of Chrono Cross. 11. Main Theme 1 Game: Albert Odyssey Gaiden Composer: Naoki Kodaka http://media.putfile.com/Albert-Odyssey-Gaiden---Main-Theme-1 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is my favorite movie. This song could easily be on the score. An absolutely gorgeous Asian-flavored piece. 10. Into the Wilderness Game: Wild ARMs Composer: Michiko Naruke http://media.putfile.com/Wilderness-16 Into the top ten we go! This song is easily the biggest snub from the music contest to me. Universally regarded as one of the best video game songs ever composed, with awesome WHISTLING and a poignant yet inspiring feel. 9. Dr. Wily Stage 1 Game: Mega Man 2 Composer: CAPCOM http://media.putfile.com/Dr-Wily-Stage-1 This classic tune is the absolute best of the Mega Man NES era and arguably the best NES song ever produced. No matter how often I listen to it… it never gets old. 8. Riches in Me Game: Guilty Gear Isuka Composer: Yoshihiro Kusano, Tetsuya Ohuchi http://media.putfile.com/Riches-in-Me-80 The opening bars of this song might be the greatest in video game music history. An absolutely ass-kicking guitar part and an amazing melody are the cornerstones of this wonderful song. 7. Baba Yetu Game: Civilization 4 Composer: Christopher Tin http://media.putfile.com/Baba-Yetu-64 When I first heard this, I didn’t realize it was video game music, and that’s amazing – this song is immaculately produced and sounds like something out of a Disney movie. Soothing, beautiful, and unforgettable, it’s one of the few songs to ever bring tears to my eyes. 6. Sky Tower Game: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Blue & Red Rescue Team Composer: Christopher Tin http://media.putfile.com/Mystery-Dungeon---Sky-Tower An epic song full of a fantastic, sweeping melody. Sky Tower is one of those totally soothing and happy songs I can listen to when I’m done and it’ll generally help me out. Given my mental state, that says a lot. =) 5. You’re Not Alone! Game: Final Fantasy 9 Composer: Nobuo Uematsu http://media.putfile.com/Youre-Not-Alone87 This is the only other song to bring tears to my eyes. An utterly gorgeous piece, full of heartbreak and determination at the same time. One of those few songs I can feel a legitimate emotional connection with. 4. Hive of the Mantids Game: Turok 2: Seeds of Evil Composer: Acclaim Entertainment http://media.putfile.com/Hive-of-the-Mantids This is probably the highest-ranked song with a lot of polarized opinions on it. I think this piece is absolutely incredible for its slow buildup and overall sinister vibe that it manages to maintain for over 11 minutes. Some parts of this rank up there with the best in all of video game music to me. 3. Everlasting Love Game: We <3 Katamari Composer: Alisa http://media.putfile.com/Everlasting-Love-52 The happiest, most fun song I think I may ever have heard. That’s all. =D I LOVE YOU SOMETHINGSOMETHINGSOMETHINGSOMETHING I MISS YOU BLAHBLAHBLAHBLAH 2. Scars of Time Game: Yasunori Mitsuda Composer: Chrono Cross http://media.putfile.com/Scars-of-Time-41 Words don’t really do this song justice. In terms of production and arrangement, this is the best video game song I’ve ever heard. The buildup, the intro, the melody, everything is damn near perfect. Only one song can compete – and that song is… 1. Stickerbrush Symphony Game: Donkey Kong Country 2 Composer: Dave Wise http://media.putfile.com/Stickerbush-Symphony-74 My favorite game of all-time has my favorite song of all-time. Nostalgia? Maybe a little. Regardless, this song has everything I could possibly want in a video game song, and more – it’s soothing, the melody is perfect, the buildup is incredible. Everything rules about this song, and that’s why it’s my number one. Category:User Projects